Lesbian & Transgender

“As a queer teen, you have to worry about so much more,” says one girl. With these concerns not being covered by school health programs, LGBTQ+ teens are turning elsewhere for advice. For many, that’s not the healthiest thing to do.

Schools in Colorado and Massachusetts show how student publications can play a crucial role in exposing peers to the idea of transgender people and supporting them by using preferred names and pronouns.

A lawsuit claims that supervisors called a worker undergoing a male-female transition “disgusting” and a “hot mess.” The lawsuit challenging the employer’s conduct is part of a growing trend of expanding legal protections for transgender individuals.

The unverified story went viral on social media where some journalists brushed it off as fake news or made fun of its poor quality. But most of the reaction provided a display of unfettered intolerance for LGBT people and women.

Greeting cards by global giant Hallmark and boutique companies alike are showing love to LGBT couples and making Cupid’s holiday more big-hearted. One teen in California is planning to make this the year for a grand romantic gesture.

President Obama signed an executive order banning workplace discrimination against LGBT federal employees. Also this week, a report finds there’s a lack of women at the top of companies that make and market products to women.

The LGBTQ Muslim community is gaining notice in the arts, but mainstream acceptance in their communities lags behind, particularly at mosques. “I don’t go because of that feeling that I cannot be my full self,” says one queer Muslim.

In Case You Missed It

It is being hailed as the most progressive state policy so far, going further than New Jersey, California and Rhode Island in various respects. But its showcase potential won’t be tested until the program gets going in 2018.